“May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.”
2 Thessalonians 3:5
When Paul prayed that the Lord would direct the Thessalonians’ hearts to the love of God, he was not just praying that they would feel the love of God. He was praying that they would be changed by that love.
As they receive the love of God and as they love God in return, their hearts would begin to align with His heart. They would begin to love the things that He loves. Loving what God loves is the crux of how we grow as believers. To my friends serving time behind bars, this is life-changing. In fact, to anyone who has wrestled greatly with sin, receiving God’s love is what changes us.
Matthew Henry wrote, “We sustain a great deal of damage by misplacing our affections; it is our sin and our misery that we place our affections upon wrong objects. If God direct our love aright upon himself, the rest of the affections will thereby be rectified” (1706).
When the Lord directs our hearts to the love of God, when we love what He loves, and when our hearts are led by His love, then we become like Him and persevere in the things of Christ.
As they receive the love of God and as they love God in return, their hearts would begin to align with His heart. They would begin to love the things that He loves. Loving what God loves is the crux of how we grow as believers. To my friends serving time behind bars, this is life-changing. In fact, to anyone who has wrestled greatly with sin, receiving God’s love is what changes us.
Matthew Henry wrote, “We sustain a great deal of damage by misplacing our affections; it is our sin and our misery that we place our affections upon wrong objects. If God direct our love aright upon himself, the rest of the affections will thereby be rectified” (1706).
When the Lord directs our hearts to the love of God, when we love what He loves, and when our hearts are led by His love, then we become like Him and persevere in the things of Christ.
Scripture Focus
2 Thessalonians 3:1-5
Insight
Lord, I pray that Your love will work in my heart today, to direct my affections away from myself and toward You. Amen
Bible In A Year
- Exodus 15-16
- Psalm 33
- Mark 13
